Monday, November 16, 2009

I mentioned yesterday that Muslims in Marseille had rioted on Saturday after a football (soccer) match between Algeria and Egypt.

It’s important to note that this was an intramural battle between different Muslim groups. As Fjordman points out, Marseille is for all intents and purposes an Arab city. The violence over the weekend had nothing to do with the kuffar.

Below is a video showing some of the violence and arson (in French, no subtitles):

More than 500 officers were deployed in the centre of the southern French port of Marseille Saturday, as rioters smashed shop windows, hurled stones, and set fire to boats after Egypt beat Algeria in a World Cup football qualifying match.

REUTERS — Rioters smashed shop windows, hurled stones at police and set fire to several boats moored in the southern French port of Marseille after Egypt beat Algeria in a soccer World Cup qualifying match on Saturday.

A police spokesman said more than 500 officers were deployed in the centre of Marseille, an often volatile city with a large North African immigrant population and football supporters who are considered among the most passionate in France.

Egypt won the match, which was played in Cairo, 2-0.

Police said they had made eight arrests, mostly for throwing objects, while one man was arrested for setting fire to a rubbish bin.

At least six boats were damaged and two were sunk when a fire was sparked by a smoke bomb of the kind seen frequently in French football stadiums.

Police said the trouble began after youths of Algerian origin reacted in frustration when Egypt scored towards the end of the first half of match, in which the two teams were vying to qualify for next year’s World Cup.

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comments:

What is it about "metric football" that so often moves its fans to violence? El Salvador and Honduras even got into a brief war over it back in 1969, and the excesses of Britain's soccer hooligans are notorious. When the U.S. team beat Mexico a few years back, Americans south of the border actually went around wearing Mexican team shirts to forestall attack. Perhaps some European correspondents could shed some light on this for a mystified Yank.

Football (or soccer as the sport is commonly known in the US) is a form of tribalism. With that you can express your emotions and support your own team whether it is a national team or local club. Traditionally, the football teams have had a strong connection to the local community.

In the U.S., pro sports has been part of the entertainment industry for a long time.

Along with television and the commercialization of the game the entertainment aspect has become more important in European football and today's biggest football clubs are either businesses like Manchester United or rich man's playthings like Chelsea.

For some people, the game is just an excuse to wreak havoc and beat up supporters of the other team.

The Americans are not squeaky clean in this sense. If I remember right, Lakers' win in the last year's NBA finals led to looting and vandalism.

If you'll notice, the rioters also did major damage to property, both civic and private.

And, if they're like culture enrichers everywhere else, they will have given priority to damaging infidel infrastructure -- bars, restaurants that serve pork, residences known to be inhabited by kuffar, etc. -- before touching anything Muslim-owned.

The French have forgotten one of their greatest countryman's best advice:

"A WHIFF OF GRAPESHOT ..."

Much like with corruption, so long as it is not physically painful to engage in such practices, they are de facto being rewarded. Once the probability of distinct physical discomfort becomes sufficiently high, these actions will cease.

Restraint is never shown much appreciation by most aggressors and this is especially so in the case of Islam. All through the West, this axiom goes totally unappreciated. Until that changes, expect more riots and Muslim "festivities".